Letters
by CrazyNutSquirrel
Summary: Sight is such a precious thing...


"Leo..." Whispering his brother's name in the dark. Yeah, _that_ wouldn't bring him any strange looks from his brothers. But then again.. they weren't here to hear him. And neither was Leo. Raph leaned his head back against the wall. Technically, he _SHOULD_ be growling, cursing, yelling, or pounding at the walls. Not sitting here as if he had given up. But really, what else was there to do? He was blind down here... if indeed he was even below anything. For all he knew, he could be at the top of a building and it wouldn't make a difference. No sound could enter the black room. He didn't know how long exactly he had been here, but he knew that it wouldn't be good for him to remain. He reached up and lightly touched the left side of his face before wincing. He wouldn't be able to see out of that eye ever again. Even without Donny there to tell him, he knew that much.

It hadn't been too long after he'd left, and his shell cell had been taken during the fight. Had it been planted near Casey's or something so that his brothers wouldn't suspect he was missing? "Leo..." he whispered again. It hadn't been too long since Winters disintegrated, and he didn't know if Leo would have fully forgiven him for almost killing him. Shell, if the circumstances had been different and he'd been corned in an alley, who knew how that fight would have ended. An image of him piercing one of Leo's eyes with his sai flashed through his head, and he winced as his mind conjured up Leo's agonized scream to go with it. Or was it really his mind...? He curled up. He had been trying to control his anger so much recently that he almost no longer knew how to get angry... it seemed out of reach, just out of sight. And here he had come back to the subject of sight.

He doubted Leo would have been this frightened about losing half his vision. Knowing his older brother, he'd probably already trained with Master Splinter so he'd know how to keep fighting even if he lost his vision. Raph chuckled darkly to himself. Maybe he should have asked Master Splinter, after he had that nightmare where his vision was slowly leeched away. A sound. Tiny, but definitely there. He looked up and blinked his good eye. What had it-? The room shook, and Raph tensed. Instinctively, he moved to a corner and curled up there. It was a good thing he did, because seconds later, the door he had been unable to see was blasted inwards. He didn't move, for he could still hear some pieces falling. "Raph? RAPH!" Leo's voice. He sounded absolutely frantic. Raph looked up, and froze. Leo's eyes were covered with bandages.

"L-Leo?" he asked, hating the tremor in his voice.

"Raph, are you alright? Donnie! Get in here!"

"Leo, what happened to your eyes...?"

"Lucky swipes," was all Leo said, running his hands over Raph's face and freezing. "Raph...? DONNIE GET OVER HERE NOW!" Don rushed in, and Raph could hear Mikey barricading the other door.

"Oh god... Raph..." Donnie whipped out his supplies and started tending to Raph.

"Mikey, how much longer will the door hold?"

"Not much longer dude," said Mikey, stepping into view. That was when Raph realized they all had those gliders Donnie had designed on. Moments later, one was put onto him.

"Come on Raph, we're on the top floor, we have to glide down."

"But if Leo can't see-"

"I'll be guiding him," said Don. "Come on, get up." Raph carefully did.

"The door's givin' in dudes...!" Leo took a chair and smashed one of the large windows as Don brought Raph out of the previously black room.

"Come on, get out!" said Leo.

"Not until you're out, Fearless," said Raph.

"I'll be fine, get out n-" Raph grabbed Leo and flung him out after pressing the button on Leo's glider to open it. Then he launched himself out as Don and Mikey followed. The door gave in moments later, but they were already out of range. "Raph! I told you I'd be fine!"

"Not if you'd waited for each of us to be out," snarled Raph. "Honestly Leo, what the shell were you thinking?" Donnie carefully reached down and adjusted Leo's line of flight as the blue-banded turtle answered.

"I was thinking about your safety." Raph growled something under his breath but looked away.

"How long did they have me?"

"A whole day," said Mikey. "Seriously dude, it was just so... wrong in the lair without you." Raph snorted.

"You guys coulda managed without me just fine," he whispered. Only Leo, having to rely on his other senses, heard.

"You know that is complete, and utter bull, Raph. We need you so we can function just like we need Donnie and Mikey."

"And what about you? We need you too!" snapped Raph as they landed near a manhole cover.

"Not as much as you three," said Leo, before lifting the manhole cover. "Come on, get in."

"I'll go last," said Raph flatly, and Leo sighed, deciding to drop it this time as he jumped down into the sewers. They heard a shot, and Raph's eye widened. "LEO!" They all leapt down and found a Foot ninja running away, while Leo lay on the ground.

"What's going on...?" Leo asked, sounding utterly bewildered as he reached up and touched the bullet wound. "Did I get-?"

"You'll be alright, Fearless," whispered Raph, the tears coming and refusing to be held back. "You'll be alright..."

"Will... you be...?" asked Leo. Raph blinked and shook his head, but gave a small smile.

"Sure, Fearless. Sure I'll be." Leo shuddered, and went still.

XxXxX

Raph shot tup in his hammock and fell out of it with a strangled cry. Before he could hit the floor though, green arms caught him. "L-Leo?" asked Raph. Leo smiled at him. He wasn't wearing his bandanna, that was a surefire sign that he'd just woken up.

"What's wrong? You sounded distressed," said Leo, helping Raph up.

"It's- it's nuthin'," said Raph, looking away. He'd never take his two good eyes for granted again, that's for sure. Or Leo's safety. Leo took hold of his chin and turned his face back so they made eye contact.

"It wasn't nothing," said Leo. "You were crying Raph, and that does way more than just concern me."

"Just- just drop it," Raph said. Leo was silent for a moment, then he nodded.

"If you want to talk Raph, I'm always here."

"You won't be forever." Raph mentally hit himself. He hadn't meant to say that out loud! Leo paused and frowned.

"Is that what's bothering you?" Raph reluctantly nodded. Leo turned back and embraced Raph. "Raph, whether or not I'm physically here, I'll always be here on a spiritual level at least."

"Sometimes, that just ain't good enough," whispered Raph.

"Look, you know how Sensei taught me to get into other's dreams?" Raph nodded. "If I'm not here, write letters to me, and I'll come answer them, 'kay?" Raph gave Leo an annoyed look.

"That worked when we were children, Fearless, it won't work now." Raph sighed. "But I'll do it anyway." Leo smiled.

"Thanks Raph." Raph shook his head.

"No, thank you Leo." Raph had no idea how, but later, when he woke up, he found Leo had somehow managed to not only get back into his room, but bring some of his cushions so he could sit and meditate in Raph's room. When Raph asked why he did it, Leo simply smiled and said nothing.

**This was written with no prior planning. I don't even understand half of what I put in here. *headdesk* ANYWAY... I have no idea what to think of this. :S Read and review, so I know what YOU made of it. XD**

**None of the characters in here are owned by me. And now I'm all depressed and have to go listen to something to cheer me up. *mutters angst over and over again as she goes off to locate her music library***

**Btw, the Dark Turtles absconded when I wasn't looking, so I have to first locate where they're hiding before I can write anymore oneshots with them. -_- Curse the Terrorpin's stealth mode!**


End file.
